Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-05-28
THE PRESIDENTS POLICY
On Land Reform Formulated and Formally
Announced by No Less a Parsonage
Than Mr.. Cleveland.
Col. Gray's Short Interview With tie
President Not Believed to Have
Helped the Road.

WASHINGTON, May 20.-Nearly a week ago
Col. Gray, the counsel for the Northern Pa
cifc Railroad company, arrived in Washing
ton and succeeded in advertising through
partisan papers the great things which would
be accomplished by him In his work before
the interior department. Republican cores
pondents advertised his ''plan' at once and
gave the country TO understand that the
Northern Pacific would soon have the ''bulge"
on the president and his policy. Col. Gray
had a plan, a notable "plan," which WAS as
clear as mud to certain parties, by which he
believed and they hoped that the question OF
indemnity lands could be settled with a wave
Of the hand and a Jove like nod of the head.
There was to be no contest, and everything
was to be ostensibly settled COR the benefit OF
the settlers and the government. Col. Gray
and Mr.. Mendenhall called upon Secretary
Lamar several times with their scheme, and
the assistant attorney general united with the
secretary in giving a dignifed bearing to the
''plan." Attorney General Montgomery is a
learned lawyer, and Secretary Lamar Is no
enormous thickness to blind their eyes to
legal and technical points. They listened
carefully and respectfully to the statements OF
the learned counsel, and interrupted them
with numerous questions, as they proceeded
TO develop their scheme. The gist of 1t all
was ''the presidents Ill advised letter on the
Guilford-Miller matter" The words
'~'uL-ApvIsED"
were used i%mprudently, and no comment was
made by the listeners; but they did not let
the simple phrase escape them. The fact IA
Chat Iill luiral ln.tnr,1 ~rnc a1wta,I L. A..
secretary and assistant attorney gen
eral, and the commissioner OF the
general land Office, as well as the attorney
general of the Hnited States. Not the email.
est factor In the matter Is the commissioner
Of the general land Office, who Is absent, or
was absent, at the hearing Of the counsel.
The onus of the whole matter was TO be
placed on the general government, because
the lands In the Walla Wslla district have not
all been surveyed. Therefore, concluded the
counsel, the government and not the road is
responsible for existing difficulties. The
counsel for the road said "We are net dis
posed to be arbitrary. Certainly not.
The entire matter is in the hands Of the pres
ident, through his agent, the secretary OF
the interior His power is arbitrary.
and the kindness end condescension Of the
road was not apparent except in verbose YER
biage. The secretary has not acce pied the
proposed ''plan," nor is there any likelihood
of his doing SO. Col. Gray callet upon the
president, but his interv ew was short. The
president has now left
II ENTIRE MATTER
with the secretary Of the interior, and will
take no action unless called upon TO do SO by
some new features in the case as yet not az
parent. 1t is not likely that there will be any
new features developed. The whole ground
has been gone over carefully ard without
haste. The 'ill-advised letter" OF the presi-
dent was the result OF calm elaboration, and
it is not likely that ii will be reconsidered At
an early date. Time is too precious. |
Other matters are more pressing and
more important. II the secretary and
the president were to re-hear this
case as often rs the road may choose TO send
counsel 10 Washington, public business
would suffer. The attempt to drive Miller
out Of the case by additional mountains of
abuse 10 be heaped uyon Gen. Sparks will
fail. The commissioner knew all about the
case, studied it long and knew what he was
about. 1t is not true that Miller has no
standing with the department except with
Sparks. He has standing with the secretary
and with the president, and his name was not
dragged into the case merely for the purpose
Of being made ian awful example," as
several imaginative speakers and writer's up
on the subject have been inspired to say. The
secretary of the interior will take no adverse
action In this case without consultation with
the president. 1t Is said at the interior de-
partment that the policy OF the administra-
ton has been formulated and formally an
noanced, once for all, by the president him
self.